Christians debate holiday's virtue.

• Position: Death - Brief article

Each year, a debate surfaces among Christians over whether Halloween is a satanic holiday or merely a secular one. Churches have the resources to find middle ground and "out-narrate" a negative perception of Halloween with the tradition of All-Saints, says a professor at Duke University Divinity School, Durham, N.C. Jo Bailey Wells indicates it is a mistake to underestimate how serious the forces of darkness and chaos are, yet equally misguided to dwell on them.

"Halloween comes from 'All Hallows' E'en,' the Christian festival commemorating All Saints or those who have died and gone ahead of us into the heavenly realms. Remembering the dead opens the door to those who choose to focus on the unsettled souls. the bodies that do not rest in peace--thus the interest in ghosts, witchcraft, and the forces of darkness."

Wells notes that churches typically face challenges in engaging with the contemporary popularity of...